Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association Supporting Transformational Neighborhood Revitalization in Bloomington
June 29, 2026
Program Brings National Expertise to Strengthen Local Communities
Bloomington, IL (June 23, 2026) – The Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association (MIRA) is spearheading a project to revitalize neighborhoods on Bloomington’s West Side through the National Association of REALTORS®’ Transforming Neighborhoods Program. It is one of only four local associations nationwide to receive this support to use expert-driven solutions to assist communities facing housing, affordability, and redevelopment challenges.
Through this highly competitive award, MIRA will partner with the City of Bloomington to bring The Counselors of Real Estate® (CRE®) Consulting Corps to deliver a comprehensive strategy that will revitalize an area impacted by vacant properties, declining housing stock, and disinvestment on Bloomington’s west side.
Meaningful Community Impact
With many vacant homes across Bloomington, many concentrated on the West Side, the initiative will focus on restoring neighborhood stability, improving property values, and supporting safe, vibrant places for residents to live and thrive.
By leveraging national expertise, local leadership, and community input, the project will produce actionable recommendations to guide reinvestment, strengthen housing opportunities, and preserve affordability for current and future residents.
“This award will have a lasting impact on our community by helping us confront some of our most pressing housing and neighborhood challenges with data-driven strategies and expert guidance,” said Melanie Walker, President of MIRA. “It positions Bloomington to move forward with a clear plan that supports both revitalization and long-term sustainability.”
REALTORS® Leading with Pride and Purpose
As trusted professionals deeply rooted in the community, REALTORS® are proud to play a central role in advocating for strong neighborhoods and supporting initiatives that expand opportunity for homeowners and residents.
“REALTORS® live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve, and we take great pride in helping to build stronger, more vibrant neighborhoods. This Transforming Neighborhoods project is a great opportunity to partner with Bloomington City leaders,“ said Ed Neaves, Illinois REALTORS® Past President. “Being selected for this program reinforces our commitment to making a meaningful difference and ensuring every part of Bloomington has the opportunity to succeed.”
This collaboration reflects the broader REALTOR® commitment to promoting homeownership, strengthening communities, and advancing solutions that benefit residents at every stage of life.
A Collaborative Effort for Lasting Change
To secure this opportunity and align with local priorities, MIRA worked closely with Bloomington city leadership—including Mayor Dan Brady, City Manager Jeff Jurgens, and community development officials.
“This partnership brings nationally recognized expertise directly to our community,” said Mayor Dan Brady. “It will help guide future planning and development efforts and better position our neighborhoods for long-term success.”
Through the program, a team of CRE® experts will conduct in-depth analysis, engage with stakeholders, and deliver objective, unbiased tailored recommendations designed to catalyze redevelopment, support policy decisions, and create a roadmap for implementation.
“We are honored to bring Counselor expertise and problem solving to assist the City of Bloomington address redevelopment on the West Side. The Consulting Corps team is committed to delivering the rigorous, unbiased analysis this community deserves — and the actionable guidance to move forward with confidence," said Brett Pelletier, CRE, team leader for this assignment. Based in Boston, MA, Brett provides community real estate strategy and advisory services to governments, developers, policymakers, and individuals who want to create high-quality housing that is affordable, and effective and durable public policy that addresses the needs of the community. Brett and the Consulting Corps team of experts from across the country will be onsite in Bloomington in early August.
About Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association
The Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association represents approximately 900 members engaged in all facets of the real estate industry. The association promotes property ownership, protects private property rights, and supports professional excellence among its members.
About the Transforming Neighborhoods Program
The National Association of REALTORS® offers the Transforming Neighborhoods Program annually to support local REALTOR® associations working to address complex housing and community challenges. NAR covers the costs of the CRE® Consulting Corps’ engagement, ensuring communities can access world-class expertise at no local expense.
About the Counselors of Real Estate®
Counselors of Real Estate® are trusted advisors finding solutions to complex real estate challenges. Experienced, innovative, and credentialed problem solvers, Counselors practice in 21 countries and offer expertise in more than 60 real estate disciplines across all asset classes. Invited to membership by their peers, Counselors have earned the prestigious CRE® designation, with only 1,000 professionals holding the CRE® credential worldwide. The CRE® Consulting Corps, a public service program of The Counselors of Real Estate, provides real estate analysis and action plans for not-for-profit organizations and government entities.
More MIRA News
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT, JESSICA DEVORE “Spring Housing Market is Strong” March 28, 2022 2022 started off with a bang and February is continuing the trend. We are thrilled to see the units of new construction are up 145.5% from last year. Even as the builders have been met with supply chain delays and increasing prices they are pushing through and making it happen. Resale homes reflect a lower unit percentage of -3.2% from last year due to a lack of available inventory but the average price is 5.9% which shows a healthy market for sellers. The spring market starts off the busy time in real estate. We expect to see more resale housing inventory released due to optimal seller market conditions that will assist with the current lack of homes. The total housing volume reflects a 12.8% increase from 2021 which is a positive sign that buyers are finding homes. In addition, more properties are being built in anticipation of increased activity in the housing market and strong economic growth. MIRA Platinum Affiliate Partner, Rebecca Stiles-Bergquist of Waterstone Mortgage said “Mortgage rates have risen slightly in early 2022 but, all things considered, they are still low – meaning that homeownership can be attainable for many families and individuals. As we move into the spring and summer buying and selling season, we anticipate that the market will continue to be volatile. This makes it riskier for borrowers to wait when it comes to locking in their interest rate. While the local market has been opening up slightly, in terms of inventory, we hope to see more progress with this in the coming months.” On the national front, NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, says jobs are playing a huge role in changes to the real estate industry. He forecasts, “More housing inventory will show up later in the year because jobs in residential construction and for general contractors have been steadily rising. There are 314,000 more workers now compared to March 2020. It is a different story in commercial real estate, however, as there are 136,000 fewer workers in the sector and office buildings remain mostly empty. It appears many Americans took early retirement, as the labor force participation rate is a full one percentage point below what it was before COVID.” We expect to continue to see positive numbers for the housing market and inventory to improve as we move along into peak housing season. Contact a REALTOR® today to assist you with your buying and selling needs. CLICK HERE to view our local REALTOR® Directory.
I agree to: Provide equal professional service without regard to the race, color, religion, gender (sex), disability (handicap), familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity of any prospective client, customer, or of the residents of any community. Keep informed about fair housing law and practices, improving my clients' and customers' opportunities and my business. Develop advertising that indicates that everyone is welcome and no one is excluded;, expanding my client's and customer's opportunities to see, buy, or lease property. Inform my clients and customers about their rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws by providing brochures and other information. Document my efforts to provide professional service, which will assist me in becoming a more responsive and successful REALTOR®. Refuse to tolerate non-compliance. Learn about those who are different from me, and celebrate those differences. Take a positive approach to fair housing practices and aspire to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law. Develop and implement fair housing practices for my firm to carry out the spirit of this declaration
Ed Neaves, managing broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Central Illinois REALTORS® in Bloomington, was named the 2022 Illinois REALTOR® of the Year at the state association’s Winter Business Meetings in Bloomington-Normal today. The award honors individuals whose dedication to excellence has profoundly enhanced the industry. Neaves has been a leader in the real estate industry with his local association, the Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association, Illinois REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®. As the 2020 Illinois REALTORS® President, Neaves led the state association and its more than 50,000 members during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even before that he stepped in to serve two terms as president-elect when there was a vacancy in the association’s leadership team. He is a longtime member of the Illinois REALTORS® Board of Directors and currently serves as chair of the association’s Audit Committee, vice chair of the Nominating Committee and is a member of the Advisory Council and Performance/Compensation Review Committee. Neaves has always been committed to the power of REALTOR® political advocacy. He has chaired the Illinois REALTORS® Political Involvement Committee, the Federal Political Coordinators Working Group and Major Investors Working Group and served on a variety of Illinois REALTORS® committees. Neaves advocacy also extends to being a REALTOR® resource to elected officials. He is the State Legislative Contact for state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) and the Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-16th District). He is among an elite group of REALTORS® nationwide who have been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame for lifetime contributions of at least $25,000. He was honored for his political leadership with the 2015 Illinois REALTORS® Political Involvement Award. In his Bloomington-Normal community, he served as the president of his local association in 2017 and was honored as the local REALTOR® of the Year in 2011 and again in 2020. In 2016, he was awarded his local association’s Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. On the national level, Neaves has served on the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Board of Directors since 2018 and has served repeated terms on NAR’s State and Local Issues Mobilization Support Committee and REALTOR® Party Member Involvement Committee. Congratulations to Ed Neaves, who will be formally recognized and celebrated at the REALTOR® of the Year Award banquet March 28 in Springfield! CLICK HERE to read the full article with Illinois REATLORS®.
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT, BRANDON SHAFFER “2021 continues to show record growth in the real estate market” “Numbers do not lie, and our community is growing in leaps and bounds” says MIRA President Brandon Shaffer. As more people get vaccinated, businesses continue to re-open with employees on-site and summer activities are starting to take off, those in our community have not slowed down when it comes to looking for real estate. Shaffer notes that new construction in Bloomington/Normal and surrounding areas is at an all-time high. This time in 2020 our community had 8 new construction homes pending. As of April 2021, we currently have 25 new construction homes pending. That is a 212% increase in pending new construction homes. Closed new construction units are up 233% from this time last year. Builders attribute this to the lower-than-normal inventory numbers. Year to date closed unit sales are up 25.6% over last year at this time. “It is an amazing time to buy and to sell a home” says Shaffer. Realtors have plenty of buyer clients, that are pre-approved and ready to buy. It is a perfect time to reach out to a Realtor to discuss the buying and selling process. Sellers are listening to their Realtors when it comes to the advice they receive concerning the market, appropriate pricing of their homes, and what may or may not need to be done to attract a buyer. Because of this, listed homes are selling at a much faster pace than expected. Shaffer notes that “a home’s average days on market is now 9 days compared to 35 days just a year ago.” This is a prime example of Realtors and clients working together to get the job done. Interest rates remain low, first time home buyers are out shopping and many that were renting have started to lean towards wanting some more space since being in a work from home or home school environment for over a year now. Randy Clark with Flagstar Mortgage, a Mid-Illinois Realtors Association platinum affiliate, notes that “mortgage rates remain low in our market and the demand for buying new homes remains very strong”. Clark further states that “the pre-approval process and buyers doing their homework is more important than ever”. “With multiple offers on almost every home Flagstar Bank mortgage lenders are working 24/7 to make sure clients are prepared and able to purchase these homes for their families during these times of strong demand and multiple offers”. The average home sale price as a whole is up 34.4% across new construction and resale homes with the average new construction home price coming in at $299,697 and resale homes average sale price coming in at $171,542. Shaffer says that Realtors have noticed a significant increase in homeowners paying for landscapers to create outdoor living spaces, having pools installed, exterior kitchen installs and more. Anything that a homeowner can afford to do that may add value to their home and continue to create an environment for all at home to enjoy is being done.
Join us in taking the Fair Housing Pledge to declare your commitment to protecting the rights of your clients and acknowledging the role REALTORS play in unlocking doors to home ownership in our communities. 2021 Fair Housing Declaration As a REALTOR, I hereby agree to: Provide equal professional service without regard to the race, color, religion, gender(sex), disability (handicap), familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity of any prospective client, customer, or of the residents of any community. Keep informed about fair housing law and practices, improving my clients' and customers' opportunities and my business. Develop advertising that indicates that everyone is welcome and no one is excluded;,expanding my client's and customer's opportunities to see, buy, or lease property. Inform my clients and customers about their rights and responsibilities under the fair housing laws by providing brochures and other information. Document my efforts to provide professional service, which will assist me in becoming a more responsive and successful REALTOR®. Refuse to tolerate non-compliance. Learn about those who are different from me, and celebrate those differences. Take a positive approach to fair housing practices and aspire to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law. Develop and implement fair housing practices for my firm to carry out the spirit of this declaration. First REALTOR State-Wide Book Club Kicks Off Fair Housing Month The Mid-Illinois REALTORS Association, in partnership with Heartland REALTOR Organization and REALTOR Association of Southwestern Illinois, participated in a first of it's kind, state wide book club this spring reading "The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America." This book, written by Richard Rothstein, gives fascinating insight to how segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels. To wrap up the book club, readers across the state gathered on Zoom April 1st to kick off Fair Housing Month and discuss the book with the author, Richard Rothstein, himself.
Help protect the real estate industry of Bloomington-Normal by getting out to the polls on April 6th, 2021.The decisions made by these elections today will affect your profession tomorrow, so let your voice be heard! Check out these resources to help you vote informed. ✅ Bloomington Residents, visit: https://www.becvote.org/wordpress/ ✅ Normal Residents, visit: https://normal.org/114/Municipal-Elections ✅ For Voter Registration, CLICK HERE
Hello to everyone! I just wanted to send out a note on behalf of your Executive Committee concerning the upcoming changes to our COVID mitigation tier status in Illinois, as a few questions have been sent my directions on what this means for those within the Real Estate industry. Click here to read the most recent announcement from Illinois Realtors concerning our business and the steps that should be taken when operating as an essential service. That said, yes, Real Estate is still considered an essential service within the State of Illinois and will continue operating within the guidelines provided. This, however, should not be taken for granted. I strongly urge you to make wise decisions when operating your businesses as we do not want to lose this status as an essential service. When conducting your business, I ask that you weigh the pros and cons for your clients concerning: Open Houses In-Person Showings Virtual Visits Agent Open Houses Your safety as well as your client's safety should be the FIRST item of consideration when making plans for in-person contact situations. The public does watch us as practitioners within this industry so please be prepared with your face coverings, hand sanitizer, instructions for sellers when making their homes available for in-person showings, making sure to wipe all surfaces down when the showing is complete and more. Extra care needs to be taken concerning any open houses as they are allowed as long as all parties agree. Again, the public is watching how we operate our businesses. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to the MIRA staff, your Executive Committee, or Managing Broker for additional clarification. For the latest information concerning COVID-19 and its impact on our industry please visit the following link on Illinois Realtors website: Illinois Realtors COVID-19 Update Thank you and please be safe! Brandon Shaffer, 2020-2021 MIRA President
Merger inspires name change for Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® to Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association. Bloomington, Il. August 21, 2020 - As of July 1, 2020, the Livingston County Board of REALTORS® (LCBR) officially merged with Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® (BNAR). LCBR was an association located in Pontiac, Illinois consisting of 12 brokerages and 30 REALTOR® members. Livingston real estate agents are now part of an association with over 500 REALTOR® members. The merger prompted a name change for BNAR to Mid-Illinois REALTORS® Association (MIRA) to reflect the total market service area of McLean, DeWitt, Livingston and Woodford counties. The merger came less than 4 months after the two associations voted to merge. “The merger gives our members an even higher level of professionalism at the association level along with opportunities for education, to better network with area REALTORS®, participate on committees, better serve our clients and our communities,” said Terry Sullivan, the new MIRA board representative for Livingston County members. “This is a win-win for everyone.” Julie Moore, 2020 President of LCBR said, “The decision to merge was not taken lightly. Our board members worked many hours on this, and our general member's votes were heard. It has been a great decision in my opinion! The LCBR's felt we could not keep up with technology, education and the core duties (to name a few) we needed to do to keep up our small board in Livingston County. BNAR has been very welcoming and informative in this merger. MIRA will have so many more opportunities to learn so we can service our clients even better now that we are one board.” “We are excited about LCBR joining our REALTOR® family, said Diane Cote, MIRA CEO. Gina Manker, former CEO, and the leadership of LCBR have been incredible to work with through this transition. This merger fits our mission of creating meaningful opportunities for all our members and their clients. We are better together.” About MIRA MIRA was founded to perfect the professionalism of the practice of real estate while protecting homeownership and private property rights. Along the way, we've grown from our original 13 members to nearly 500 professionals of realtors, appraisers and affiliate partners reinventing the way real estate is bought and sold and assisting in the growth and health of our communities. Contact: Penny Wilson, MIRA President – P: 309-319-4008 – E: [email protected]
June 2020 By Diane Cote, BNAR CEO Housing Inventory Hits an All-Time Low It is a great time to sell! Housing inventory is at an all-time low, 40% less than this time last year. Homes within a certain price range are selling quickly, with multiple offers, and in hours of being listed. There was an inventory shortage before COVID-19. Sellers have been holding back from putting their homes on the market due to the pandemic, which has caused the shortage to become greater. REALTORS® are leveraging technology and new tools to service their clients safely. That translates into creating virtual tours using 3D technology for listings so buyers can virtually “walk through a home”, video conferencing for buying and listing clients, and paperwork is handled through emails with digital signature capabilities. Coming into “Restore Illinois Phase 3” starting May 29, 2020, REALTORS® will be able to hold physical open houses if the seller is comfortable with it. They will fol-low the guidelines set forth in phase 3 to ensure the safety of their client’s, which includes limiting groups to ten people or less (including owners and brokers who might be present in the property), social distancing where possible, with face coverings where social distancing can’t be observed and frequent cleaning. The “Shelter in Place” caused many property owners to purge, organize, paint and update. In addition, all this time at home has caused people to think about moving. The properties are ready and so is the market. Contact a REALTOR® today while rates and inventory are low! To see this article in the July 2020 edition of the Limited, click here .
June 8, 2020 Subject: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln Dear Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® Members: The Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® (BNAR) board of directors acknowledges the events from the past weeks, brought on by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We understand these events have affected us in our own community and we want to be part of the solution to bring people together. The local, state, and national REALTOR® family are champions for all. As Illinois REALTORS® President, Ed Neaves stated; “We recognize the long-standing injustices suffered by many among us, which we now see in our communities painfully calling out for substantive change.” We appreciate those standing positively for change and the efforts by our first responders who are managing not only a worldwide pandemic, but the after-effects of aggression and trauma. Your association cares about each one of you. We are here to listen to, learn from, and grow with you. We have determined one of the ways we can assist is by creating a diversity task force. We are looking to our members to help us ensure we are considering the needs of all our members. We understand we don’t know, what we don’t know. So, we are asking our members who want to share their different perspectives, knowledge, and ideas in a productive and positive manner to join our task force. Please contact Diane Cote, CEO at [email protected] if you would like to be part of the diversity task force. REALTORS® are champions of fair housing and private property rights. BNAR is a champion of equality and inclusion for all. We are dedicated to working collectively to foster communities where every person can live, work, and play equally. Together we are better. Sincerely, Penny Wilson, BNAR President
IDFPR Restore IL Phase 3: Recovery Guidance for Real Estate Licensees and Consumers The State of Illinois is entering “Phase 3: Recovery” of the “Restore Illinois” plan as of May 29, 2020. This brochure provided by the IDFPR is intended to address ongoing questions specifically about permitted real estate services during Phase 3. Please take a moment to read through this helpful guide found in the Phase 3: Recovery Guidance.
Effective May 29, 2020 GUIDANCE FOR REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE PRACTICE As our Illinois regions move into Phase 3 of the Governor’s restoration plan, many of the now-familiar safety measures remain in place. While some business practices will now be legally permissible, this doesn’t mean that all available options should be immediately employed. With these concepts in mind, consider the legal answer to the questions below, along with suggestions for best practices. Open Houses Prior to May 29, 2020, open houses were prohibited per the Department of Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO’s) guidance interpreting the last gubernatorial disaster order. Q. What is the status of this directive as of May 29, 2020? A. Beginning on May 29, 2020, real estate brokerages are legally allowed to hold open houses so long as all of the safety measures can be observed. These include limiting groups to ten people or less (including owners and brokers who might be present in the property), social distancing where possible, with face coverings where social distancing can’t be observed and frequent cleaning. Best Practices: • When conducting an open house, consider having the owner or listing broker open doors including closets and cabinets, turning on lights and opening window coverings to reduce the need to touch surfaces. • Incorporate a non-discriminatory appointment policy into open house day procedures to cut back on the number of attendees appearing at the same time. • Restrict access after each showing to allow time for disinfecting areas of the home previous attendees viewed. • Consider providing gloves and booties to all attendees of an open house and requiring face masks for all persons inside the home, even if social distance is maintained. Even if legally permissible, brokerages should carefully consider whether open houses are the safest option for their clients, their brokers and consumers. Each attendee brings a different set of contacts into the property. Brokerage policies should consider incorporating the use of technologies (like virtual open houses) to reduce physical presence for the early stages of marketing properties. Use appointments in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner to physically view the property and incorporate the best practices from above, while keeping the number of contacts smaller. Showings of Tenant-Occupied Properties Prior to May 29, 2020, showings of tenant-occupied properties were prohibited per the DCEO’s guidance interpreting the last gubernatorial disaster order. Q. Are tenant-occupied showings allowed beginning on May 29, 2020? A. As of May 29, 2020, the legal answer is yes, depending on the terms of the particular lease and/or any local, state or federal requirement to give a certain amount of notice to the tenant(s) prior to showing the rental unit. Any showing, after giving the tenant the appropriate notice, must be done in a manner where all the safety measures are observed, that is, physical distancing, face coverings or any other required PPE, small groups, hand washing and sanitization/cleaning of surfaces. Best Practice: • Before entering a tenant-occupied unit, obtain the tenant’s express consent before showing a tenant-occupied unit. A Final Note We are in continuous communication with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) regarding updated guidance to real estate professionals. We expect the Department to issue its own guidance in the coming days, along the lines of the forgoing advice and recommendations. Once we receive official, updated guidance from IDFPR, we will make it available to members immediately. COVID-19 UPDATES For more COVID-19 updates from Illinois REALTORS click here.
Sunday, April 12, 2020 By Diane Cote, BNAR CEO Illinois was put under a Shelter in Place order on March 20, 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The governor listed real estate as one of the essential services. Real estate is known as one of the most important sectors because it contributes to balancing the economy. This is fortunate for the buyers and sellers out there who either must move during this time, are in the middle of their transaction, or are ready to make the move. This order created a shift in how real estate is transacted and the Bloomington-Normal and surrounding area REALTORS® adjusted without skipping a beat. They knew immediately they must be ready to help clients who need and want their services in a new and safe manner. The market is moving. In the past 30 days, 221 homes have gone under contract. The public has been flooded with a tremendous amount of gloom and doom and simply assumes that the real estate market has flattened, but that is not the case. It’s just a very different market right now. Jessica Devore, 2020 BNAR Treasurer has said, “I sold 8 homes in a week in a half. It’s insane. The warmer weather and low interest rates have contributed to the market pace. The stay at home order has allowed those working from home more flexibility when it comes to house hunting. While showings have been whittled down to only the super, serious buyers.” REALTORS® are leveraging technology and new tools to service their clients safely. That translates into creating virtual tours using 3D technology for listings so buyers can virtually “walk through a home”, video conferencing for buying and listing clients, and paperwork is handled through emails with digital signature capabilities. Physical open houses with multiple people in and out of a home are not allowed during this time through the order, however, if a house must be shown in person the REALTORS® are being advised to follow CDC safety protocols. Penny Wilson, 2020 BNAR President stated, “I am asking sellers to leave lights on, and interior doors open so nothing is touched in the home. I have booties, disinfectant wipes, spray and gloves. I encourage buyers to have their own masks”. A top producing agent said, “I just sold one of my listings yesterday, that had been on the market 2 days, to a neighbor that was out for a walk and had been thinking of moving due to growing out of their home. The time we are spending indoors is making people think a lot about their living spaces and making them realize that they need a little more space.” There is a shortage of available homes on the market right now, so if the sellers are willing to have their home on the market it is a fantastic opportunity for them. To view the full article from The Pantagraph on April 12, 2020, CLICK HERE.
(DISCLAIMER: This information is constantly changing. Illinois REALTORS® legal team will provide updates on how this affects employees of a brokerage; broker-owners; sponsoring brokers, etc.) On Mar. 30, 2020, Illinois REALTORS® provided the best information it had at the time concerning the filing of unemployment applications through the Illinois Dept. of Employment Security (IDES) as it related to the federal stimulus packages. Guidance changes were released Tues., Mar. 31, 2020 (pdf). Information posted by IDES on Tues., Mar. 31, 2020, changes prior guidance. UPDATED: Mar., 31, 2020 Self-employed and Independent Contractors If you are self-employed or an independent contractor, go to the last paragraph. You are being instructed to wait on filing an application until further notice. Illinois REALTORS® will monitor this news and update as soon as there is something new. Regular employees If you are a regular employee, you may file now according to the IDES posted guidance as to days of the week associated with your last name. Employers Follow guidance provided by IDES. What if I have already filed an application? Our best guess at this time is that you may be denied, but should be contacted by IDES at which time you might refile; or file an appeal. We, are however, awaiting further guidance from IDES and will monitor their information sources for any new, better or different guidance. March 30, 2020 posting: In order to qualify for the unemployment benefits in the relief bill, REALTORS® must apply for benefits in Illinois through the Illinois Department of Employment Security (“IDES”). However, based on the most recent guidance provided as of Mar. 31, 2020, those who are self-employed and independent contractors should not apply until further notice. As of March 26, 2020, all IDES offices are closed to the public and an in-person application is not available. Applications can be processed online and by telephone. At this date, the IDES website has not been updated to reflect that independent contractors may be eligible for unemployment relief in Illinois. As a REALTOR®, you should be able to keep listing property and, if commission is earned upon closing, that income will likely need to be reported and may impact a portion of any unemployment payments you might be entitled to for a period of time, but it may not disqualify you from all unemployment relief. For specific questions how continued real estate work and commissions may impact eligibility, you should contact your attorney for specific legal advice. The following information will help you contact IDES. IDES offices are closed to the public until further notice. You may access IDES services using the following methods: File an Unemployment Insurance claim IDES has established specific dates and times for applications based upon alphabetical order of last names in order to speed processing times If you have questions about Unemployment Insurance, call IDES Customer Service at 800-244-5631 or 866-488-4016 TTY Certify for Unemployment Insurance benefits or call Tele-Serve at 312-338-4337 Monday – Friday 5:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m To view more updates of Illinois REALTORS®, visit: https://www.illinoisrealtors.org/covid19/#QandA
Today, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has added language pertaining to real estate as an essential service to the official DCEO guidance on Essential Businesses and Operations FAQs. Are real estate open houses and showings permitted? According to DCEO, it depends. Open houses are not permitted. Showings of occupied rental properties are not permitted. Showings of vacant or owner-occupied units are permitted if necessary and scheduled in advance (virtual showings are preferred) but limited to no more than 4 people. Please refer to the DCEO Essential Business & Operations FAQ. Visit Illinois REALTORS® COVID-19 webpage for up-to-date information and FAQs. Governor Pritzker’s earlier Executive Order had deemed real estate as an “essential service,” allowing for itto continue while the Order was in effect. All practitioners who continue to practice real estate while the Order is in effect are required to abide by the social distancing requirements also contained in the Order. The Governor’s Order does not speak to specific parts of real estate transactions, including open houses or showings. However, DCEO has interpreted the Order to limit some real estate activity. In particular, open houses are not allowed under any circumstances while the Order is in place. Also, showings for unoccupied or owner-occupied properties are limited to no more than four persons. The guidance from DCEO is consistent with the communication Illinois REALTORS® continues to provide to members regarding showings in that it strongly encourages brokers to use virtual showings as an alternative. NOTE: DCEO’s guidance states that showings of occupied rental property are not permitted for the duration of the Governor’s Executive Order. Illinois REALTORS® has been informed that further guidance can be expected from IDFPR, with whom we have been working since the Governor’s first emergency proclamation in March. DCEO’s guidance today further confirms for REALTORS® that the practice of real estate during this time is not “business as usual.” Please visit Illinois REALTORS® COVID-19 webpage for the most up-to-date information on the best business practices to implement to stay safe and to protect your customers. About the Author: Betsy Urbance Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Urbance, General Counsel and Vice President of Legal Services has served the association’s members as General Counsel since 2018 and prior to that she was Legal Hotline Attorney since 1994. Urbance is a 1984 graduate of Western Illinois University and received her law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1987. She is licensed in both Illinois and Missouri.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, an announcement was made by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to extend renewal dates and continuing education (CE) deadlines until SEPTEMBER 30, 2020. The most immediate impact is upon broker licensees who were set to complete CE and renew their licenses by April 30, 2020. Please keep in mind, this extension in no way affects the requirement to complete CE prior to the extended renewal date (September 30, 2020). Therefore, all licensees will still need to complete their particular CE requirement in order to successfully renew their licenses. In addition, any pre- or post-license or CE course that was required to be provided in a live classroom setting is now allowed to be provided by technological or on-line methods. The live requirement has been waived through July 31, 2020. It is very important to the BNAR Board, Education Committee and staff that we continue to offer you educational opportunities with which to fulfill your CE requirements, even during this time of uncertainty. Provisions are being made so that we may continue to offer the currently scheduled CE Courses in an online learning capacity, available to take from the comfort and security of your own home. Please stay tuned for further details. To view the remaining available courses offered by the BNAR, please visit: http://bit.ly/Live-CE
March 18, 2020 Dear BNAR Members, How our business is conducted changed quickly due to the current circumstances presented by the pandemic. There are many things to think about and we know you are concerned during this uncertain time. We are here to assist with information you can use to keep transacting and servicing clients while protecting yourselves and those you love. The National Association of REALTOR has provided Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTORS®. Here is a link to the guide https://www.nar.realtor/coronavirus-a-guide-for-realtors It highlights the following: · Information and preventative measures about the Coronavirus · Unique issues the virus presents to the real estate industry · Do’s and Don’ts questions to ask your clients relating to the issue and fair housing · Driving with Clients · Open Houses · Precautions for Managing Brokers In addition, the Illinois REALTORS® released a blog from their very own General Counsel, Betsy Urbance. You can find the post here https://bit.ly/390qOHS Betsy’s blog has the following topics related to the virus, which are of value for all members: · Links to valuable information regarding COVID-19 · Practical business considerations · Contractual and transactional issues · Leasing and property management · All transactions While we don’t have a crystal ball to know the long-term impact on the economy, we would like to focus on positive information. Interest rates are at an extraordinary low. This will drive people to refinance and for those purchasing, they will lock in their interest rates. Other markets in the country, like Southern California have shown that 78% of members have seen no change in buyer interest since news of the virus. While 87% of those surveyed in that market stated it hasn’t affected the number of homes on the market. What most market areas have seen is a shift in real estate fundamentals. How business is conducted. Using video conferencing like FaceTime with clients, offering open houses using 3D virtual tours and finding ways to build community. For example, a REALTOR in Chicago bought 22, $25 gift certificates from different eateries to support local impacted businesses. He is running a contest on his Facebook page and plans to give them away to people who like his post. He will print out the names of people who liked the post and randomly draw 22. Locally, many of our own REALTOR® members have joined forces with “FeedBlonoKids” where they are taking donations and working with community volunteers and businesses to distribute food to children who won’t be at school and may not have meals at home. They are serving over 500 kids daily. Here is a link to the initiative https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080848a8ad23a7f49-feeding if you would like to get involved. In times like these it’s how we behave and lead as an example for others. So, we encourage our members to stay positive, make necessary adjustments, utilize the resources available to you, build community, and keep finding those business opportunities in creative ways. We are here to assist you in any way we can. Feel free to reach out to any one of us. You can find us here https://www.midillinoisrealtors.com/about/leadership-directory-2/ Together we are better. Be well and stay safe, Your Executive Leadership: Penny Wilson, President Brandon Shaffer, President-Elect Jessica Devore, Treasurer Danell Moberly, Past-President
Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® Raises Over $12,500 to Benefit Students of Local Schools
The Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® is overjoyed to announce the total raised at this year’s President’s Charity of Choice Event benefiting The Promise Council. On Tuesday, November 12, members of the BNAR leadership presented Willie Brown, President and other Promise Council Members with a check for $12,526.26, raised to directly support students in the Bloomington-Normal District 87 and Unit 5 schools through the work of The Promise Council. The money was raised from individual donations, ticket sales and the live & silent auctions from the BNAR President’s Charity of Choice Lip Sync Battle that took place September 5, 2019 at Bloomington’s Castle Theater. This annual event spotlights a new charity each year that is thoughtfully selected by the current BNAR President. “I chose The Promise Council as my Charity of Choice because I love their commitment to helping kids in our local districts succeed and the way they do it through connecting caring adults and community resources to meet the specific needs of students. It is truly a fabulous organization,” comments Danell Moberly, 2019 BNAR President. Established in 2009 to address the declining high school graduation rates in Bloomington-Normal, The Promise Council’s purpose is to help remove the barriers that stand in the way of students achieving success in school and in life. Every year, Promise Council offers help to over 4000 children with limited resources in our local schools. “We are thrilled and honored to receive this support from BNAR. The work we do in our communities’ schools could not be accomplished without partnerships like this one. These funds, from the Bloomington Normal Association of REALTORS®, will help us meet physical needs, provide more mentors, and increase parental engagement in our schools. We are so grateful to the real estate professionals and affiliate businesses in our community who donated their time and treasures to this cause,” says Linda Bowman, Vice President of the Promise Council. For more information on The Promise Council or to find out how you can get involved, visit: https://promisecouncil.org/ Pictured here: Tracy Patkunas, BNAR Board Member; Willie Brown, Promise Council President; Jan Meadows, Promise Council Committee Member; Linda Bowmen, Promise Council Vice President; Danell Moberly, 2019 BNAR President; Brandon Shaffer, 2020 BNAR President Elect; Diane Cote, BNAR CEO
The Illinois REALTORS® celebrated the installation of its new leadership team Thursday night. Ed Neaves, of Bloomington, was sworn in as the 2020 president during the association’s Inaugural Gala at the Chicago Marriott Naperville. Neaves is the managing broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Snyder Real Estate in Bloomington. Licensed in real estate since 1976, Neaves served as the 2017 president of the Bloomington-Normal Association of REALTORS® and was honored as his local association’s REALTOR® of the Year in 2011. He was awarded his local association’s Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. At the state level, Neaves serves on the Illinois REALTORS®’ Board of Directors and has chaired numerous working groups and committees, including the Federal Political Coordinators and Major Investor working groups and the REALTORS® Political Involvement, Strategic Planning and Finance committees. He is the Federal Political Coordinator for U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger and is among an elite group of REALTORS® nationwide who have been inducted into the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame for lifetime contributions of at least $25,000. He was honored for his political leadership with the 2015 Illinois REALTORS® Political Involvement Award. On the national level, Neaves has served repeated terms on the REALTOR® Party Member Involvement Committee for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and is a member of NAR’s Board of Directors. Neaves is also an entrepreneur who has owned and operated restaurants and radio stations in central Illinois. He a past president of the Bloomington-Normal Area Home Builders Association, McLean County Humane Society and the Bloomington-Normal Jaycees. He has served on the boards of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, United Way of McLean County and currently serves on the Miller Park Zoological Society Board of Directors. Neaves graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served in the Air Force until 1978. He has an MBA degree from Illinois State University. He and his wife, Amanda Wycoff Neaves, who also is a REALTOR®, live in Normal with their son Edwin James.